Dad kicked off flight with baby deemed too young to fly

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A good Samaritan took a stranded man and his 4-day-old daughterinto her Arizona home because Frontier Airlines officials said theinfant was too young to fly, according to a new report.


The father, Rubin Swift, had recently flown from Ohio to Phoenix topick up the baby, Ru-Andria, whom he had just gained custody of,AZFamily.com reported this week.


Swift told the outlet he had spoken with Frontier about what heneeded to get the baby on the plane — including a birth certificateand a note from the hospital, Banner University Medical Center,saying she is clear to fly. Swift provided all of the documentation— but when he reached the gate at the airport, he wasn』t allowedonboard, according to the report.


「I asked for my money,」 Swift told the outlet. 「They said it wouldtake seven days to get your money back.」


He didn』t have the money to stay at a hotel or rent a car to driveback to Ohio, but he did have a new friend to reach out to — JoyRinghofer, a volunteer at the hospital』s NICU who had helped carefor Ru-Andria. The two had connected right away, so Swift decidedto give her a call.


「I didn』t expect her to say, 『I』m coming to get you and take youhome,'」 Swift told the outlet. 「So, I』m thinking, 『She is going todrive me back to Cleveland』 but she actually brought me to herhouse and feeding me and making sure my baby is all right.」


Both father and daughter left Phoenix on Tuesday — but Swift andRinghofer plan to keep in touch. Swift even began calling Ringhoferhis daughter』s grandmother.


「We』re two different colors and she opened up her door and it neverwas an issue,」 Swift told the station. 「My color was never anissue. She loves my baby. She held her. My baby was with her allnight. Who does that?」


Ringhofer told the station that it was her pleasure to playhost.


「I had such a strong feeling that I needed to do this for him,」 shesaid. 「I know he was a kind and safe man to have in my home and hehas been a perfect gentleman.」


Frontier Airlines told the site that its policy dictates that achild must be at least 7 days old to fly.


「To comply with Frontier policy regarding the age of travelinginfants these passengers were rebooked on a Frontier flightdepartment on March 20,」 a statement from the airline said. 「Wealso waived any change fees associated with this change so thepassenger can travel in accordance with our policy.」